A SPECIALISED centre to treat sickle cell patients has been proposed in the Northern Governorate.
The Northern Municipal Council has approved the proposal which is aimed at tackling the increasing number of patients of the blood disorder faced with a lack of adequate space at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC).
Council chairman Ahmed Al Kooheji stressed that although the governorate is in dire need of a comprehensive hospital, a specialised sickle cell centre will cater to a segment of society with the disease who have to endure immense pain.
“This illness is well known in Bahrain and people who are diagnosed with it are suffering,” said Mr Al Kooheji.
Pain
“I personally know patients who remain bed-ridden for weeks due to severe body pain.”
However, fellow councillor Hussain Al A’ali said the proposed centre would require an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), as such patients require specialised care.
“If this centre is built then it needs to be close to a medical facility with ICU, as patients may face complications that may require specialised emergency care,” he said.
“This can’t be just a simple health centre because it requires specialised equipment and an ICU.”
The proposal was unanimously approved by the council and will be referred to Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf for a review.
However, Bahrain Society for Sickle Cell Anaemia Patient Care chairman Zakariya Al Kadhem said even though he shared the councillors’ sentiments what was required were dedicated specialised units in public hospitals.
“It’s more practical to build a sickle cell unit – such as the one in SMC – in the BDF Hospital and the King Hamad University Hospital,” he said.
“An entire hospital is not feasible but constructing different units in hospitals is practical.
Refrain
“Patients don’t just need a bed and intravenous therapy (IV), they may also require surgical and ICU intervention in extreme cases.”
The campaigner highlighted that councillors should refrain from proposing “impractical projects” that give false hope to citizens, and instead focus on achievable goals.
“Around 60 per cent of sickle cell patients are in the Northern Governorate, but what is required are social initiatives such as blood donation or tree plantation drives, or allow artistic patients to beautify health centres,” added Mr Al Kadhem.
He pointed out that there was no bed crisis at SMC, adding that however there was an issue related to the shortage of doctors to treat sickle cell patients.
Sickle cell disease is a group of disorders that affects haemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body.
People with this disorder have atypical haemoglobin molecules called haemoglobin S, which can distort red blood cells into a sickle, or crescent shape.
The GDN previously reported that according to official records, 8,664 Bahrainis – 4,271 male and 4,393 female – are suffering from sickle cell anaemia.
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